Statistical characteristics of driver acceleration behaviour and its probability model

Abstract

Naturalistic driving data were applied to study driver acceleration behaviour, and a probability model of the driver was proposed. First, the question of whether the database is large enough is resolved using kernel density estimation and Kullback-Liebler divergence. Next, the convergence database is utilised to achieve the bivariate acceleration distribution pattern. Subsequently, two probability models are proposed to explain the pattern. Finally, the statistical characteristics of the acceleration behaviours are studied to verify the probability models. The longitudinal and lateral acceleration behaviours always approximate a similar Pareto distribution. The braking, accelerating, and steering manoeuvres become more intense at first and then less intense as the velocity increases. These behaviours characteristics reveal the mechanism of the quadrangle bivariate acceleration distribution pattern. The bivariate acceleration behaviour of the driver will never reach a circle-shaped pattern. The bivariate Pareto distribution model can be applied to describe the bivariate acceleration behaviour of the driver.